In 1960, President-elect Kennedy appointed James Edward Day to his cabinet as US postmaster general. During his tenure, Mr. Day decreased the service’s deficit, improved morale, and worked to decrease racism. He also implemented the ZIP code and worked to eliminate the circulation of pornography in the mail system. Mr. Day held this position until 1963, when he resigned due to financial difficulties and rejoined the private sector. In later years, Mr. Day was known for his wit and was the author of several books including a memoir and a work of fiction. He died in Hunt Valley, MD on October 29, 1996.
1914 October 11, Born, Jacksonville, IL.
1935 A.B., University of Chicago
1938 L.L. B., Harvard University, Editor, Harvard Law Review, 1936-37.
1939-1940 Attorney, Sidley, Austin, Burgess & Harper
1941-1945 Served to Lieutenant, US Naval Reserve
1945-1949 Attorney, Sidley, Austin, Burgess & Harper
1949-1950 Legal and legislative assistant, Office of Governor Adlai Stevenson
1950-1953 Commissioner of Insurance, State of Illinois
1953-1956 Associate general solicitor, Prudential Insurance Co. of America
1956 Associate general council
1957-1960 Senior vice president in Charge of Western Operations
1959-1961 Vice-chair of California Governor’s Committee on Metropolitan Area Problems
1959-1961 Member, Governor’s Business Advisory Council
1961-1963 Postmaster general of the United States
1963-1973 Partner, Sidley & Austin
1973-- Partner, Cox, Langford & Brown
1996 Died
Author
Bartholf Street,1947
My Appointed Round: 929 Days as Postmaster General, 1965
Humor in Public Speaking, 1965
Descendants of Christopher Day of Bucks County, Pennsylvania with a Supplement to Vol. I, The Ancient Families of Dee and Day of Wales, England and Ireland, L. F. Day, 1976
An Unlikely Sailor: The Story of a Kennedy Cabinet Member in the World War II Antisubmarine Navy, McClain, 1990.
Source
Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2004. Reproduced in BiographyResource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004